Paper package and process of forming same



8.. WHEELER.

PAPER PACKAGE AND PROCESS OF FORMING SAME.

' APPLICATION mzn uov. e, 1917.

1,430,709. Patented Oct. 3, 1922.-

. ATTORNEYS EJNITED STATES 1 PATENI SETH WHEELER, OF CASTLETON, NEVJYORK.

PAPER PACKAGE AND IPBOCESS OF FORMING SAME.

Application filed November 6,1917. Serial no. 200,512.

T 0 all to 720m it may 00mm:

Be it known that I, SETH /VHEELER, of Castleton, in the county ofRensselaer, and in the State of New York, have invented a certain newand useful. Improvement in Paper Packages and Processes of Forming Same,and do hereby declare .that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention relates to paper packages and process of forming-same andhas for its object to provide an interfolded paper package fromwhichsheets or units maybe withdrawn one at a time.

A further object of my invention is to provide a package in which thesheets are so interfolded that the withdrawal of a sheet will position aportion of the following sheet so that it may be grasped readily.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a package in which theportion of the sheet positioned for withdrawal will have more than asingle thickness.

A. furtherobjectof my invention is to provide a package'inwhich thesheets are folded so that the package will occupy only a portion of theactual length of the sheet.

A further object of my invention is to provide a package in which thesheets are folded or interfolded so that the height of the package oneach edge is the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a package the sheets ofwhich may he interfolded with a minimum of time and number ofoperations.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, and from the annexed drawings of embodimentsthereof, in which- Figure 1 is an edge view of a single sheet foldedready for interfolding with similarly folded sheets;

Figure 1 a view similar to Figure l'but showing a sheet with a doubledbottom edge;

Figure 2 an edge view of two similarly folded sheets slightly removedfrom their interfolded position;

Figure 2 view similar to Figure 2 but showing each sheet with a doubledbottom edge;

Figure 3 ane'dge view of'three similarly folded. sheets slightly removedfrom interfolded y position;

Figure 3 a view similar toFigure' 3 but showing each sheet With adoubled bottom e g and Figure a an enlarged and slightly distorted viewof a series of sheets'interfolded in accordance with one embodiment ofmy invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

The folding'and interfolding of sheets in order to form package fromwhich the sheets may be withdrawn one at a time has assumed largecommercial proportions. Such packages are used for example, inconnection with the dispensing of toilet paper, and at the present timethe use of such packages in connection with the dispensing of papertowels increasing rapidly. The packages of paper ordinarily are placedin dispensing cabinets with a suitable opening through which extends aportion of a sheet in position to be grasped so that the sheet may bewithdrawn. It is desirable that the withdrawing of one sheet shall causea portion of the following sheet to be drawn through the opening and inturn extend from the cabinet in position. ready for grasping. It also.is desirable that the cabinet shall occupy as little space as possibleand that the sheets shall stack evenly to form an even package. In orderto accomplish these desired ends, it has been customary to fold andinterfold the sheets. The folding of the sheets enables them to bestacked in narrow packages and the interfolding of the sheets causes thewithdrawal of one sheet to drag with it a portion of the followingsheet. It is the purpose of my inventionto provide an improved foldedand interfolded package of sheets having the characteristics above setforth, but different from any package heretofore known and havingdistinct advantages in the saving of time and operations in folding andinterfoldingl In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in thedrawings, each sheet is shown as folded twice toform substantially equalleaves two of which are on opposite sides of a substantially equalmiddle leaf. A sheet thus folded therefore, occupies a length onlyapproximately one third the actual length of the, entire sheet, and eachsheet has a fold. on each edge. When the sheets then are interfolde'd,the package will occupy much less space than the full size of the sheet,and the sheets will stack evenly and form an even package. In Figure 1an edge view of a sheet 1 is illustrated folded as described above. i

position so as to indicate clearly the manner In Figure 2 sheet 1 an dasucceeding sheet2 are shown slightly removed from interfolded in whichthey are interfolded. Sheet 1 is indicated in heavier lines than sheet 2merely for clearness of illustration, it being understood that all thesheets ordinarily will be of the same thickness. It will be noted thatthe middle and lower leaves of sheet 1 lie be tween the upper-and middleleaves of sheet 2.

In Figure 3 sheets land 2 are shown in the same partially interfoldedposition as in Figure 2, with a sheet 3 added and also shown as slightlywithdrawn from interfolded position. Sheet 3 isindicated in dotand-dashlines merely for clearness of illustration, it being understood that allthe sheets ordinarily will be of the same thickness and size. It will benoted that the middle and lower leaves of sheet 2 also lie between-theupper andmiddle leaves of sheet 3, and that the upper leaf of sheet 3lies between the lower leaf of sheet 1 and the middle leaf of sheet 2.

By reference to Figure 4, which shows sheets 1. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7folded and interfolded in accordance with one embodiment of myinvention, it will be seen that the folded middle and lower leaves ofeach sheet lie between the upper and middle leaves of a succeedingsheet. It also'will be seen that the upper leaf of each sheet after thesecond sheetlies between the middle leaf of the preceding sheet and thelower leaf of the preceding sheet one removed. Although this is thepreferred manner of interfolding, it is obvious that the top fold ofsheet 3 (Figure 3) could be inserted between the middle and lower foldsof sheet 1 to form a package having some of the characteristics of thatjust described or that each sheet could be folded with both leaves onthe same side of the'middle leaf and interfolded as a plain doubledsheet.

In Figures 1 2 and 3", sheets 1, 2, and 3 are folded and interfoldedsimilarly to sheets 1, 2, and 3 in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The bottom edgeof each sheet, however, is doubled over as indicated by referencecharacters 1",. 2", and 3", for a purpose to be mentioned hereinafter.

with paper towels it will be seen that the withdrawing of abottom sheet,for example, will cause the doubled end of a succeeding sheet to beextended in position for grasping. The provision of a doubled end isparticularly advantageous when the invention iSIapplied to paper towels,as when wet hands grasp, a single sheet the sheet is liable to tear.Thedoubled end of the bottom portion of each sheet 1, 2 and 3 in Figures1 2 and 3 is forthe same purpose if the dispensing cabinet is of such atype as to cause this portion of the sheet to extend in position forgrasping. The edge may be doubled upon itself but preferably is doubledover the upper and middle leaves 7 of a succeeding sheet as illustratedin the drawings.

An important advantage of my invention is the saving of folding cost. Itwill be seen that two portions of each sheet (sheet 3) a are interfoldedrespectively with the terminal leaves of the two preceding sheets (1 and2), obviously reducing the time required to'interfold a given number ofsheets be apparent to those skilled in the art without departingtherefrom or from the scope of the claims, my invention not beinglimited to the embodiment chosen toillustrate the same, but comprisingsheets folded into sub stantially three equal parts and interfolded topresent a folded edge for Withdrawal and to reduce the time required tointerfold.

Having described one embodiment of my invention what I claim and desireto protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A. package of sheets or units each of which is'folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolded so that the initial andmiddle leavesof each sheet after the first sheet have three leaves ofadjacent sheets therebetween.

2. A package of sheets or units each of which is folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolded so that the initial andmiddle leaves of each-sheet afterthe first sheet have two leaves ofa-preceding sheet and one leaf of a succeeding sheet therebetween.

tially equalleaves two of which are on opposite sides of a substantiallyequal middle leaf and interfolded so that the middle and I terminalleaves of each sheet except the e last sheet are between the initial andmiddle When my invention is used in connection leaves of a succeedingsheet. a v l. A package of sheets or units eachof which 1s folded twiceto'forrn three substantially equal leaves two of which are on opoppositesides of a substantially equal middle initial and middle leaves of anintermediate sheet, the top leaf of said succeeding sheet being belowthe said middle and terminal leaves of a preceding sheet.

6. A package of sheets or units each of whichis folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolded so that two leaves ofeach sheet are interfolded respectively with the middle and terminalleaves of the two adjacent sheets.

7. '11. package of sheets of units eachof which is folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolded so that the initial andmiddle leaves of each sheet after the first sheet embrace the terminaland middle leaves of a preceding sheet.

8. A package of sheets or units each of which is folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolcled so that the top leaf ofeach sheet after the first sheet lies over the middle leaf of apreceding sheet.

9. A package of sheets or units each of which is folded twice to formthree substantially equal leaves two of which are on opposite sides of asubstantially equal middle leaf and interfolded so that the top leaf ofeach sheet after the first sheet lies over the middle leaf of apreceding sheet and beneath the bottom leaf of the preceding sheet oneremoved.

10. The method of arranging sheets or units in interfolded piles whichconsists in folding substantially equal end leaves of each sheet one oneach side ofa substantially equal center leaf to form threesubstantially equal leaves and inserting over the middle and terminalleaves of each sheet the initial and middle leaves of a succeedingsheet.

11. The method of arranging sheets or units in interfolded piles whichconsists in folding substantially equal end. leaves of each sheet one oneach side of a substantially equal center leaf to form threesubstantially equal leaves and inserting over the middle leaf of eachsheet the initial leaf of a succeeding sheet.

12. The method of arranging sheets or units in interfolded piles whichconsists in folding substantially equal end leaves of each sheet one oneach side of a substantially equal center leaf to form threesubstantially equal leaves and inserting over the middle leaf of eachsheet and under the terminal leaf of the preceding sheet the initialleaf of a succeeding sheet.

13. A package of sheets or units each of which is folded thrice to formfour leaves and interfolded so that the first and second leaves of eachsheet after the first shall have therebetween leaves of the precedingsheet and one leaf of a succeeding sheet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

SETH WHEELER.

Witnesses:

lVM. A. WHEELER, SETH WHEELER, Jr.

